I think it's a song about resorting to escapism as a form of temporary relief, in hopes that it'll give enough time to be saved. A song about resisting suicide. Also about using using alcohol as a means to overcome inhibitions to get closer to the ideal.

The opening words, 'Party girls don't get hurt'. A girl's going out, getting drunk, living a dream - 'A bird flying', which temporarily stops the pain, 'feel my tears as they dry'. She desperately seeks out escapes from the pain which she can't resolve permanently, and all the while hopes someone can pull her out of shackles that strangle her. She begs the listener to help her, 'Help me, I'm holding on for dear life'.

She doesn't want to die, she wants to live. She's a sinking ship, doing all in her power to stay afloat, clinging to the hope that she will be rescued.

It strikes me very powerfully. It's life affirming. The will to overcome adversity - to fight the odds.

EDIT: Realized I had started typing a sentence and hadn't finished the train of thought. Fixed.

ben wrote:I think it is eloquently fitting that my farewell thread should be so graciously hijacked by such blatant penis waving. It condenses my entire ILP experience into one very manageable metaphor.

Because it is about how all life are connected and how everything goes on within you and without you.

Life goes on within you and without you. However bad you may feel or however stuck you may be, life goes on within you and without you. No one can force one to change, they have to change on their own.

Show someone a door, they walk through it if they choose to.

Call me the gatekeeper, I am here to open and show doors, not force anyone through them who doesn't want to be.

A "god" who deserves worship will be humble enough to reject it; A "god" who demands worship will not be worthy of it.

All smoke fades, as do all delicate mirrors shatter.

"My ancestors are smiling on me, Imperials. Can you say the same?"

"Science Fiction today ~ Science Fact tomorrow"

Change is inevitable, it can only be delayed or sped up. Choose wisely.

ben wrote:I think it is eloquently fitting that my farewell thread should be so graciously hijacked by such blatant penis waving. It condenses my entire ILP experience into one very manageable metaphor.

The song's pleading for people to stop everything that's bad in the eyes of God, and to embrace Jesus/God - they'll set you free.

When I listen to it, I translate it in my head to - bad = shallow, and God = truth / meaning.

If I do this, then I can really appreciate and get behind the sentiment / emotion of the song.

=

What's interesting is the lines like the following:

"And for a small donation she could have the Lord Almighty"

"Visa or Mastercard, our operators are waiting"

"Now a word from our sponsor then another troubled teen"

Which hints at an underlying dissatisfaction with preachers using God for profit.

Formerly known as: Joe Schmoe

ben wrote:I think it is eloquently fitting that my farewell thread should be so graciously hijacked by such blatant penis waving. It condenses my entire ILP experience into one very manageable metaphor.

We are escalator walkersin the brand-new templeCame to reshape identitiesShed our skinsBe reborn and feel the sameFeel the same: that no one here is real

We are moving standeesin the shrine of choicesIncarcerated between floorsof hope and disappointmentWe feel the sameFeel the same: no one here is realWe feel the sameFeel the same: that nothing here is still

We are stairway driftersmade of cyber paperGoogle boys and Wiki girlsChildren of the self-careWe come to pray every single training dayLooking for a chance to surviveBuying reduced price illusionsFloating into another lightMelting into another lonely crowd

We feel the sameFeel the same: that no one here is realWe feel the sameFeel the same: that nothing here is still

Used to have our loveAnd now - Disposable needsUsed to have our soulsAnd now - Refined new skinsTake - Use - Throw away - Forget

Dragging our feetTired and deceivedSlowly moving onBracing shaky legsagainst all those wasted yearsWe roll the boulders of sinsup a hill of new daysUp - Up a hill of new days

In the arms of the setting sun,our burdens cast shadows over fiery groundCatching final raysWe try to reach the journey’s endbefore the sun will dieWe sense we’re almost there, (We sense we’re almost there)but the night comes too soon (The night comes to soon)And we crawl in the dark, (We crawl in the dark - x2)not ready to face up (Not ready to face up)to unknowing lies (To unknowing lies)We ache to go back (Ache to go back - x2)